Feeling Like a Fraud How to Overcome Your Impostor Syndrome

Feeling Like a Fraud How to Overcome Your Impostor Syndrome Do you ever get that niggling feeling that youre going to be exposed as a complete fraud in the job you do? Are you a  normal person in relatively normal job who has an impending sense of doom that youre going to be exposed for the fraud  you  really are? Whether you feel like  youre not qualified enough, good enough or winging your way through life: its time to change your thinking. If youre a spy, or an undercover detective however, you can resume business as normal, this articles not for you. 1) Case study yourself Whenever youre feeling extra fraudulent, take a look back into the case study of your career. Remind yourself of your successes and experiences. You actually know what youre talking about, believe it or not! It can even be useful to keep a physical file of these things collect peoples comments, emails and testimonials. This way, youll never forget how good you actually are. If you need reminders, go ahead and ask people around you what they think. 2) Dont compare your insides to other peoples outsides Comparing yourself to others is where impostor syndrome begins! Its most definitely easier said than done, but if youre able to avoid comparing yourself to others youll feel much better for it. TOP TIP: Stop reading the biographies of successful people. Nobody Knows What Theyre Doing http://t.co/yKxONgaAqy. Dont compare your insides to other peoples outsides! pic.twitter.com/AAHMUxTOSt Lili Millar (@lili_millar) February 17, 2015 3) Perfection aint real Constantly striving for perfection is both tiring and a strain on your mental health. Perfection doesnt exist youre chasing something youll never catch. Instead, work on improving parts of you that already exist. Focus on the value you bring already. 4) Talk it out If you feel like a genuine fraudster why not out yourself to your colleagues and friends and let them know how you feel. Talking about situations at work (and life in general!) often makes them easier to figure out than if you were to handle them alone. A problem shared is a problem halved. 5) Forget the fear of looking foolish Sometimes, the fear of looking foolish can stop you  from taking the actions you need to reach an end goal. Its a ridiculous and irrational fear to have, but its one that we all share at some point in our lives. When youre worried about doing something because youre nervous youll look foolish, its important to recognise this feeling and work on it. If you can recognise your irrational thoughts its easier to handle them. I have written 11 books, but each time I think, Uh-oh, theyre going to find [me] out now,'- Maya Angelou. 6) Own it Sometimes, when you practice something for so long it can work its way into your daily life. Something that is pretty useful to be fraudulent about is your confidence. If you enter a situation and pretend your confident, its going to come across well, and in the end, youll be a little more confident than you were before. Do this multiple times and youll actually find your confidence levels improving. 7) Learn, learn, learn Impostor syndrome is sometimes a product of low confidence in your work. Keep on top of your game by diving in to as many learning experiences as you can. Attend conferences, sign up to evening courses or simply read a new book. This will keep you on the ball! Everyone feels the effects of impostor syndrome at one point or another in their life. The trick is to recognise and work on overcoming it.  Do you have any tips on overcoming impostor syndrome? Let us know in the comments below. Main image credit: Shutterstock